Underreamer for well drilling



Jan. 25 1927.

l E. f\v HARDISON UEDERREAMER FOR NELL DRILLENG 3 SheetS--Shenei 3 Filed March 27 1922 LA@ l/MAA/ E 6,@

Jan. 25., 1927. 1,615,379

. A. HARDISQN UNDERREAMER FOR WELL DRILIJIK` Filed March 27, 1922 l3 Sheets-Sheet l @v am,

Jan. A25, 1927. 1615-'379 l E. A. HARDISON .UNDERREMER FOR WELL DRILLING Filed March 27. 1922 3 Sheets-shew s' @15114 F Z4 m rg.

Patented Jan. 25, 1927. Y y

.S'Eiftti PATENT OFFHCE.

EDWIN A. HARDISON, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSGNOR TO FIRST NATIONAL k:BANK @t TRUST CO., OF SANTA PAULA, CALFORNIA.

UNDERREAMER FOR WELL DRILLING.

Application filed March 27, 1922. Serial No. 547,179.

This invention relates to means for ening the parts in position when the reamer is larging a hole in the earth below a casing expanded below the casing. through which such means must pass, and an Fig. 3a is a cross section on line 3a, Fig. 3. 55 object of the invention is to provide a tool Fig. 3b is a cross section on line 3b, Fig. 3. 5 of this character which will be absolutely Fig. 4 is an outside view in the scale of proof against the accidental displacement of Figs. 2 and 8, ot the underreamer at right any of its parts so that there will be no danangles to Fig. 1, a portion or" the underreamger ot loss in the hole. er body being broken away to expose inte- 60 Other objects are simplicity, strength, ease rior construction. l ot assembling, ease ot setting, certaintywot Fig. 5 is an enlarged elevation mainly in operation, ease ot withdrawal into the casaXial section on line m5, Fig. 3, of the undering, and case of removing the cutters from reamer. and replacing them in the stock. Fig. 6 is a plan section on line 006, Fig. 2. 65 In this invention I provide simple cutters Fig. 7 is a plan section on line x7, Fig. 2. and means to hold the cutters out ot contact Fig. 8 is a cross section on line w8, Fig. 3

with the casing during the operation of golooking up.

ing in and also of coming out ot the hole. Fig. 9 is a cross section on line m9, Fig. 3,

An object is to avoid friction and wear on looking up. 70 the cutters while the cutters are passing Fig. 10 is a cross section on line m10. Fig. 3. through the easing. Fig. 11 is a 'ragmental view showing the I also provide practically non-breakable Spreader drawn out and the cutters in posi'- means for holding the cutters tightly in the tion to be withdrawn from the stock. stock, and to positively prevent any loose- Fig. 12is a view of the lower end of the 75 ness, swinging or swaying ot the cutters rel- .stock without cutters and spreader. ative to the stock. Fig. 13 is a longitudinal section of the body Another object is to increase the abutting on line m13, Figs. 5 and 1.4. surface between stock and cutters so as to Fig. 14 is a longitudinal section of the minimize the battering`and upsetting edect bodv on line m14. Fig.f18. 80 and t-o increase the life of the tool. Fig. 15 is a perspective view ot the spread- An object is to so construct the stock and er projecting trip latches.

the cutters and their shanks as to minimize Fig. 16 is a perspective disassembly of the the upsetting effect during` operation. cutters. the spreader and the assembling' rod.

Other objects, advantages and features of Arrows on the section lines indicate the se invention may appear from the accompanydirection of sight.

ing drawings, the subioined vdetail descrip- The exterior oi" the stock 1 is mainly cylintion and the appended claims. drical with flattened sides. and its lower end The accompanying drawings illustrate the is mainly in a plane at right angles to the invention. axis ot the stock. Said stock is provided with Figure 1 is a tragmental view of the una bore, a lower portion ot which forms the 40 derreamer and the lower part of the well cutter shank socket 2 that has parallel iiat casing as the same might appear during the sides a to form guides for the cutter shanks operation oi roaming a hole underneath the and converges upwardly or is narrowed upcasing. Dash lines indicate the walls ot the wardly toward a common airis for a distance hole and broken lines in the upper part of to form seats t) for the shanks of the cutters. the view indicate the position ot the bits when said cutters are expanded. Said bore relative to the underreamer stock body when is widened to form shank-head accommodatthe tool is in the casing. ing recesses 3 above cutter shank-head re- 2 is an enlarged view of the newly taining shoulders 4; provided in said socket 100 invented under-reamer mainly in section above said converging seats b. Above the showing the underreamer in position to go recesses 3 the bore is reduced to form an through the casing either up or down. elongated narrow spreader way 5, is .again Fig. 3 is a view analogous to Fig. 2 showreduced to form a cylindrical rod way 5, and

is then enlarged to form a spring chamber 6 below which is a spring sea-t 7, see Fig. 5. The stock is threaded at its upper end as at 8 for connection through a sub 9 with a drill stem 10, a fragment of which is shown in Fig. 2.

The cutters 11 are duplicates and' are provided with shoulders having flat top faces 12 to abut the lower flat end portions of the stock 1. Said cutters are provided with shanks 13 having enlarged tips forming on the outer faces of the shanks, heads 14 constructed to hook over the shoulders 4; when the Shanks are spread apart; and the conical outer sides b of the shanks 13 are seated against the concave taper seats b.

The edges o of the shanks 13 are parallel to each other and snugly t the shank ways formed by the parallel sides a of the socket.

The inner faces of said cutters are provided with recesses 15 above which are expanding faces 16 extending along th-e lower portion of the shanks 13, for a short dis-v tance; and above said faces 16 the inner faces of the Shanks are cut away as at 17.

The expander is adapted to be moved up and down between the inner faces of the cutters 11 and their shanks, and is adapted at one position to hold the shanks with their heads 14 hooked over the shoulders 4L, and al: a higher position to expand the cutters, and at a lower position to allow th-e heads to be unhooked from the shoulders.

The expander comprises a block 18 movable up and down between the inner faces of the cu-tters 11 and into and from the space between the shanks of said cutters, said block is adapted to be accommodated in the notch 15 to allow the cutters to collapse.

Said block is also adapted to engage the expanding faces 16 to hold the cutters in expanded position shown in Fig. 3. rllhe expander block 18 is supported by a bar comprising a fiat blade 19, a spreading wedge 20, connection 21, and the rod body 22 around which is arranged the spring 23 adapted to rest on the seat 7, and retained on said rod by a hollow head formed as a nut 24: screwed onto said rod above the spring, to be acted upon by the spring to cause the wedge 20 and block 13 to hold the cutters 11 in expanded position as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. Said head 24 is recessed at the top as indicated at 25 to accommodate retaining ngers 26 that extend into said recessed head from the spring compressing and spreader releasing trip blocks 27.

The stock is provided with lateral ways 28 formed internally as longitudinal slots 29, and externally as notched bearing faces as at so, sa and es.

The trip blocks 27 comprise webs 34. connected by resilient means as springs 35 that tend to draw the blocks together. Said trip blocks also have runners 36 each of which has a bearing lug 37 at each end and a recess 33 therebetween adapted to embrace the intermediate face 31 when the lugs at 37 are in the recesses at 30 and 32. Said lugs are also so spaced and arranged relative to the faces 31 and 32 that when the blocks 27 are at the top of the ways 28, and the spreader is up, and the cutters held expanded by the spreader as shown in Fig. 3, there will be no looseness of parts; and the runners 36 project from the sides of the stock 1 ready to be held by Contact with the shoe 39 of the casing 39 so that upward movement of the stock through the casing will force the spreader down, thus allowing the lower end of the cutters to swing` toward the produced axis of the stock as indicated in Fig. 2.

lWhen the faces 31 and 33 have thus been removed from the lugs 37 and said lugs enter the notches 30 and 32 the blocks will be slid into the stock by pressure of the shoe and can then pass through the shoe and the casing. rihe retaining fingers 26 in the hollow head 211 normally hold the blocks in the stock but may be removed when the spreader is in the depressed position shown in Fig. 2, and the blocks are raised to bring the lingers above the top of said head.

The spreader is provided with a threaded socket l0 into which a retracting rod L11 may be screwed to enable the workman to retract the spreader against the pressure of the spring 23.

The wedge 20 and the Shanks and socket walls and the shoulder l are so propor tioned that when the spreader is fully retracted as in Fig. 11, the cutters may be so swung as to release their heads from the shoulder fi; but at all other positions of the spreader the heads hook over said shoulders.

The assembling rod 42 passed through the holes 4.3 in the stock and loosely lifted in the holes 44.- in the cutters. and the slot 15 in the spreader serves to retain the cutters in the operation of assembling and must be rcmoved in order to remove the cutters and the spreader.

Longitudinal 0'rooves 46 in the cutter socket accommodate the guides #17 on the edges of the spreader to prevent looseness of the spreader.

The notches 13 accommodate portions of the cutters. 49 indicates draincrs for the spring chamber.

1When it is desired to remove the cutters, the block and spreader 1S. 20, is drawn down into the position shown in Fig. 11, so that the recesses 17 acconnnodate the spreader and allow the Shanks to be brought Sulliciently together to allow the heads 111 to be released from t-he shoulders el at the upper part of the socket.

The socket is gradually tapered as shown,

, spring chamber;

.vfsaid Socket-; a spreaderadapted in one position to `separate the Shanks to canse the same *to -e'I-Igfage with 2Lthe Socket Land to expand the cutters, and in another -position to hold the Shanks apart and allow the Acutters to be collapsecllg a spring adapted to draw said spreader up to Spread' the Sl-ia-nks and the cutters apart; means in the. Stock to -support lthe Spring; -means on the spreader whereby the Spring operates to separate the Shanks; fan-d runners projecting from the stock and adapted to be held by a cas-ing' while the Stock lis 'being' withclraw-n -theretln'oueh and to hold ithe spreader while the stock iS jdrawn upward to escape the cutters and to fallow fthe. cutters to -co`llapse; l:there being ways in the Stock to alilowlthe run-ners in one position to be retracted into the Stock to allow the runners and Stock to pass through the casing while the spreader is in position to hold -the Shanks enga-ged with 'the stock w-hile lthe cutters aire collapsed.

2. In an 'underreamer oft lthe character set forth hav-ing -a Stock land icutters in the stock: a spreader having upon its upper end Ia hollow head, a spr-ing acting on Said head ftovllilt l'the spreader; Ithere being slots in the stock, and Spring compressing runners in said Slots provided witl'i fingers extendinglin-to the cavity of said hollow head, said fling-ers being' adapted to prevent the runners `l`from being removed from fthe slo'ts, and vn'io'vable along and in said slots lby contact with a casing` shoe.

3. In an underreamelr of the *character set iol-th comprising a stock and cutters in the Stock; a spreader l'between gthe cutters -having upon its upper end a hollow head; a spring acting "on said head to litt the Spreader; there being' slots in the stock; runners in said slots. provided with fingers extending into the cavity of said hollow head; Springs to retract the runners into the stock; and lneans to hold the runners extended in position to engage with the shoe of a casing when the tool with expanded cutters is drawn up.

4.. An underrean'ier comprising' a stock having` a bore constituting a spring chamber, and at its lower end, a socket; and having a spring seat between said Socket and a spring in said Springg` chamber and Seated on said seat; a spreader in said Socket and having a rod extended into fsaiid spring chamber; meansxconnected to said rod to compress the .'spri. gmuttershafvning Shanks in the socket and adapted to 4be vheld 'apart by the spreader to engage the Shanks with 'the Stock; said Shanks being provided with lugs to `engaagr-i the Stock 'to prevent release of fthe critters wh-ille the Shanks are spread -apart by the spreader; and means on the Spreader to expand the Shanks ol the cutters in one position and allow the cutters 'to be collapsed land .in another position to allow brought together sufliciently to withdraw them from the socket.

5. in underreamer comprising `cutters and having a Stock provided with 2a bore, the lower portion of which bore forms a cuttershank socket that has parallel flat sides to forni guides for cutter-shanks and that isV upwardly narrowed a dista-nce to .form :Seats lor Such shanks when said cutters are expanded; Said bore being widened :to term shank head acconrmodating recesses above cutter-shank head retaining shoulders; said bore being reduced above the recesses to form a spreader way, and again reduced to form a roddvay, and then `enlarged to form 'a 'Spring chamber vbelow which is a Spring Seat; said bore extending from end to end of the. stock and Sa'i'd stock being adapted' at its upper Vend for connection with Va drill stem.

t. An underreamer comprising Vcutters and having a stock provided with a bore, the lower portion of which `bore :terms a cutter-shank socket that has parallel flat sides to form `guides *lor cuttersslfianks, land that is upwardly narrowed a distance to lorm seats for kthe Shanks fof the cutters when said cutters are expanded; said bore 'being widened to oriln 'sh-anlchead 2accoml'm'odating recesses above cutter-"Shank head retaining shoulders; said lbore being reduced above the recesses to form a spreader way, and lagain :reduced to form a rod-way and then enlarged to 'fori-n a Spring chamber below which is a. Springseat; said fboreextending Ifrom yend to end of the stock and said stock being threaded at its upper I'end for connection with the drill stem; said 'cutters having;` Shanks to Seat in Said shank seats and heads to engage Said Shoulders; a spreader in the Spreader way and adapted to be moved between the Shanks to hold said Shanks with the heads engaging the Shoulders; Said Spreader being provided with a rod body extending into said Spring chamber; a Spring seated on the spring seat and surrounding Said rod body Within the spring` chamber; a nut on said rod supported by said spring; said Stock being provided with lateral ways formed internally as longitudinal Slots and externally as notched bearing faces; trip blocks comprising Webs and having runners each of which has a the Shanks to` :beV

bearing lug at each end and between such lugs a recess adapted to embrace a face between said notches when said lugs are seate r in said notches, and so spaced and arranged relative to the faces that when the blocks are at the top of the ways and the spreader is up, and the cutters held expanded by the spring, there will be no looseness ot parts,

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and the runners project from the sides of the stock ready to be held by contact with the shoe of the well casing on upward movement of the stock through the casing to hold the spreader down, as the stock rises, thus allowing the lower end of the cutters to swing toward the produced axis of the stock to collapse the cutters.

7. In an underreamer provided with a stock having a. bore, with a cutter socket and longitudinal slots, said underreamer being also provided with cutters a spreader, and a rod for said spreader; a head for said rod provided with a cavity; a spring supporting said head; trip blocks in said slots and provided with fingers extending into the cavity of said head; said blocks running in said slots and having lateral movement therein and provided with lingers inserted into the cavity and adapted to prevent the blocks from being removed from the slots.

8. In an underreamer provided with a stock having a bore, a cutter socket and longitudinal slots and also cutters and a spreader and a rod for said spreader; a. head for said rod provided with a cavity, a spring supporting said head; trip blocks mounted in said slots and provided with lingers extending` into the cavity of said head; said blocks running in said slots and having lateral movement therein and provided with ingers inserted into the cavity and adapted to prevent the blocks from being removed from the slots; and springs connecting said blocks to draw the same toward each other.

9. In an underreamer having cutters with cutter-supporting shanks; a stock provided with a socket forming seats for the cutter- Shanks and having longitudinal grooves in its opposite sides between said seats; and a spreader extending into the grooves and arranged between the cutter-Shanks to hold the same in engagement with the stock.

10. In an und'erreamer having cutters with shanks; a stock provided with a socket forming seats for the cutter-Shanks and having longitudinal grooves in its opposite sides between said seats; a spreader extending into the grooves and arranged between the cutter-Shanks to hold the same in engagement with the stock; a spring carried by the stock to hold the spreader in engagement with the cutter-Shanks during reaming operation and means operable in opposition to the spring to move the spreader to permit the cutters to be collapsed to withdraw the underreamer.

11. In an underreamer comprising cutters having shanks in a socket, means adapted in one position to hold the Shanks apart to engage the socket and also to expand the cutters; and in another position to hold the Shanks apart and allow the cutters to be collapsed; and in a third position to allow the shanks to be brought together sufficiently to withdraw them from the socket.

12. An underreamer comprising a stock having a socket in its lower end and shoulders at the outer sides of the upper part of said socket; cutters having heads to engage said shoulders; and a spreader between said cutters; said spreader being adapted in one position to hold the heads over the shoulders and adapted in another position to allow the heads to escape the shoulders.

13. An underreamer comprising a stock having a socket in its lower end and shoulders at the outer sides of the upper part of said socket; cutters having heads to engage said shoulders; and a spreader between said cutters; said spreader being adapted in one position to hold the heads over the shoulders and adapted in another position to allow the heads to escape the shoulders; and a spring to hold the spreader in spreading position.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 13th day of March, 1922.

EDWIN A. I-IARDISON. 

